Apparatus for preparing photoengraving plates



willm'!! Oct. 23, 1945.

F; T. POWERS l AFPARTUS FOR PREPARING PHOTOENGRAVING PLATES Filed sept. 17, 194:5

3 Sheets-Sheet l F. T. POWERS Oct. 23, 1945.

APPARATUS FOR PREPARING PHOTOENGRAVING PLATES Filed Sept. 17, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m Ex/ Ww Oct. 23, 1945. F. T. POWERS 2,387,349

APPARTUS FOR IREPARING PHOTOENGRAVING PLATES Filed Sept. 17, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a 171 j f2" 13s lN/VENTOR.

length of time.

Patented Oct. 23, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS Fon PREPARING rnoroEN- GRAVING PLATES Y Frank '1'. Powers, Glen Cove, N. Y.

Application September 17, 1943, Serial No. 502,739

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for evenly distributing and drying a wet coating on the surface of a at plate such as the sensitive coating on photo-engraving plates.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.,

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one em-y anism of the apparatus in position to whirl the plate; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed view similar to Fig. 4 but'v showing the rotating mechanism of the apparatus in inoperative driving position.

One object of the invention is to provide a device for holding a plate in a horizontal plane and whirling it to distribute evenly a coating fluid4 f' placed thereon and cast oil the excess material. Another object is to provide convenient means to control the time and speed of whirling of the plates, whereby plates of different characteristics or coating solutions of different compositions may be whirled at the right speed and for the desired A further'object of the invention is to provide completely automatic speed varying means for whirling the plates, with a variability of starting speed. an infinitely variable increase of speed of whirling and a variability of final speed. The invention has for a further object the provision of a manual control of speed which may be substituted, by the operative for a completely automatic system of speed increase or be used todrawings.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 425,547, filed on January 3 1942, I have disclosed, illustrated, and claimed a whirler device for a plate to be coated of novel form and the present invention comprises an improvement of my prior invention and has certain features in common therewith. Accordingly, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention shows certain parts of the illustrated embodiment of my stated copending application and reference should be made to said co-pending application for clarification of description of mechanism common to this invention and the invention of my co-pending application.

Referring now to the drawings there is provided a cylindrical shell I0, which may have rolled top and bottom edges for strengthening it, preserving its shape and contributing to its appearance. A conical bottom plate I I is secured in spaced relation to the lowervedge of shell I0 by spacer bolts I2 so as to provide a channel I3 through which excess sensitizing solution may drain out of the shell into a collecting gutter I4 from which it may be drawn from time to time through the exit pipe I5 and valve I6.

For supporting the shell I 0 and associated parts at a convenient height there may be provided three channel shaped legs II secured to the underside of the conical bottom platev II near the outer edge thereof and braced near the bottom by a frame member I8 suitably secured to all the legs. The legs'IT, further, form the means of support for the gutter I4.

For whirling the plates there is provided a vertical shaft 25, jcurnaled at the botten in a bearing 26 (Fig. 4) carried on the frame member I8 and near the top in a bearing 2'I secured at the center of the conical bottom plate II. A horizontally disposed rack 28, secured to the top of the shaft 25 so as to rotate therewith is adapted to securely hold in a substantially centralized position a photo-engraving plate P to be processed.

Referring now to the means for holding and centralizing photo-engraving plate l? upon the rack 28, a form of rack may be provided consisting of crossed, horizontally disposed arms 4I), 4I secured together at their centers and to the top of shaft 25 by gusset plates 42 as by spot welding or otherwise. Both sets of arms 40, 4I may be identical in cross section and as shown are rectangular channel bars having inturned ledges 43 along their side flanges.

To centralize the plate P upon rack 28 and retain it there during the whirling operation a pair of interconnected notched clips 50 are provided, which are slidably mounted on arms 40 on opposite sides of the central mounting of the arm on shaft 25.

As disclosed in my co-pending application hereinbefore referred to, the two clips 50 are interconnected through a common actuating means for simultaneous and equal but opposite movement whereby they may be spread apart along arm ffl!! by pedal means lfor insertion of plate P upon rack 28 and upon release ofthe pedal may be spring-drawn together in equal amounts to centralize and hold the plate in processing position.

The clips 50 are actuated by pedalV meansy through lever and link connections whereby when the pedal is depressed the clips 50 move apart equidistant from the center of rack "28 and upon release of the pedal, clips 50 are spring-drawn towards the center in equal amounts to grip and center the plate P yupon the rack. As embodied a pedal '6.0, pivoted at 15| to frame Amember 18, is connected by .a link r|52 ito a lever 63 which is pivoted at 54 on a bracket 58 secured to the rearmost leg The forward end of 'lever 53 is pivotally attached to a sleeve 55 slidable on shaft :25 by pin and slot connections 65, the pins of which are carried by plates '6'1 fixed upon opposite slides of a ball thrust vbearing housing '6"8, the bearing unit of which is mounted Aupon the lower end of `sleeve '55. vsleeve 55 is permitted while pins 465 and housing '58 are 'held vnon-rotative by lever 63, and as lever 5.3 is actuated, sleeve 55 and clips 50 .are moved to their various positions by .a suitable cable (not shown) over vthe wheels 9, connecting sleeve 55 with clips 50.

Means are provided for closing the top o'f `shell and for heating and drying the coating liiuid `upon plate l? by direct radiant heat instead of a heated atmosphere and/or .heat supplied beneath the plate .and conducted through it to the solution to 'be dried. The circular cover '|5 being hinged at 1E to the rear portion of shell |0 and counterweighted for ease of opening and closing by .a weight 1.1 carried lwithin a vertical, hollow rpost 18 attached tothe back of the apparatus. `Weight 17 Vis attached to cover 15 by a cable '80 running over a pulley pivoted in post 10 and secured to cover 15.

Secured to an opening in the central portion of cover T5 is a heating unit consisting of a rectangular inverted pan :85, the 'inner lsurface of which may be formed as a heat reflecting surface and upon which are mounted by means of insulated blocks a plurality of electrical heat coils 81 the common cable 88 of whichpasses out of the pan 85 to its interconnection with timing circuits as will 'be vhereinafter described. Conveniently placed at the 'front of the apparatus within easy reach of ythe operator is a control unit consisting Vvof a starting and time limiting switch box 90, having a starting button 9| and time setting dial 92.

'In .accordance with the present invention friction drive means are provided for rotating the plate holder in the manner desired. As embodied, as .a constant speed mover an electric motor 93 is mounted yupon frame member |8 and is adapted to drive said shaft 25 through an infinitely or minutely variable drive. A reduction gear 94 is mounted on the drive :shaft of the motor 93 and conveniently is carried by the motor casing of motor 93. -The driven shaft `95 has mounted thereon a splined shaft 91, said .30. Thus, Arotation of shaft 91 being suitably attached to said .shaft 95 as by a coupling end 96 and set screws 98 therethrough.

Mounted to slide on the feather of said shaft 91 is arcollar 99 to which is attached by suitable means a friction driving wheel |00. Friction driving wheel |00 is adapted to cooperate with a driven disc 0| mounted upon shaft 25 so as to .drive shaft 2.5 when fdesired, as willlbe hereinafter described.

To accomplish this, disc |0| is mounted near :the lower end of shaft 25 to slide thereon, movemen-ts being limited by a pin |02 attached to :shaft .25 acting within a slot |03 in a hub portion |04 of disc |0|. A spring I 05 is arranged between jdisc |01 and a pin |06 on the shaft 25, spring |05 riding on the edge of hub |04 and serving to press disc |0| resiliently downward against driving wheel |00 to ensure good driving contact.

It is a feature of this invention to .provide means whereby said friction disc |'0.| and thus shaft 25 and plate P., lis driven A,in a predetermined cycle of speed increase. .As embodied, such means .include .pawl Vand ratchet means to automatically advance friction driving wheel IUD radially of disc 'mi to vary the driving ratio. To this end, there is mounted on the end of shaft 25 which extends below disc l0 a driving pinion |01 which meshes with a spur gear .|08 mounted on a shaft |09. Shaft .|09 is suitably rotatably carried by an angle bracket HB .attached to frame member I8. At the upper end of shaft |09 an Aeccentric cam l|'|`| is attached adapted to .move with the shaft i|09 and spur vgear .|03 under influence of rotation of shaft 25.

.A cam follower '|.|2 rides upon the periphery of cam H'I. Cam follower `|'|2 'is preferably -o'f circular cross section and is pivotally mounted on an arm |.|.3 by a bearing or the like H4, .to reduce wear of the camsurface during its rotation. Arm I3 is pivotally carried 'by a member IB., being pivoted to a standard I |5 mounted thereon. A spring |15 is `arranged between standard H5 and arm `|`|'3 to constantly urge cam 'follower `|'|2 into contact with eccentric cam A `guide and limiting plate |17 attached to a part of frame |18 spans arm H3 leaving sufficient clearance on either side of arm ||3 to permit iioating of (said arm under inuence of movements of cam follower |'|2.

Carried by said arm |13 and adapted vto move therewith is a ypawl H8 p'ivoted at H9. Pawl ||S is Va driving pawl and acts upon a rack |.20 :having a plurality o'f suitable shaped .teeth to advance rack |20 forward step by step, one tooth span being advanced for every .complete revolu- .Jt'ion of cam Rack |20 is s'lida'bly supported on frame '|'8 zbyan angle bracket |2! `and a pin |22 carried 'by the angle bracket ||0. Anotherpin |23 mounted .on frame I8 also assists the guiding.

Pawl |8 iis preferably spring urged into con-y tact with the teeth of rack |20 as 'by a spring surrounding A.pivot 9. Bracket ||'0 also has mounted thereon a .retainer |24 in the form of .another pawl pivoted at |25 and also spring urged toward .the teeth of rack |20 by a spring surrounding flts pivot |25. Both of pawls "|18 and |24 are so shaped that they permit movement of rack |20 in one direction only and the function of pawl |24 is to retain rack |20 fin its advanced position while pawl |'I`8 is moved out of contact with the teeth of rack |20 due to movements of its carrying arm |'|3.

According to this invention, -means are provided whereby movements of the rack |20 forward are adapted to slide friction drive wheel inwardly on its feathered shaft 91 and relative to driven disc |0| to increase the speed of shaft 25 driven by said disc |0I. As embodied, rack |20 is adapted to carry with it during its forward periodic y movements a lever |26 pivoted at |21 to a part of frame I8. Intermediate of its length lever |26 carries a link |21 connected pivotally as at |30, link |21 being pivotally attached to collar 99 of driving wheel |00.

The end of rack coacting with lever |26 is perforated with a plurality of holes |3| and' a pin |32 is adapted to be placed selectively in any of said holes. Pin |32 forms the driver member for pushing lever |26 around its pivot |21, as will clearly be seen from Fig. 2, and the several holes |3| make it possible to vary and predetermine the initial starting speed of the shaft through disc |0| and driving wheel |00. If pin |32 is in the foremost hole, as shown in Fig. 2, then the highest starting speed will be attained whereas if the pin 32 is placed in the last or rearmost hole, lever |26 will move rearwardly under a spring |33 arranged around pivot |21 moving driving wheel |00 rearwards as viewed in Fig. 2 and thus resulting in the slowest drive between driving wheel |00 and disc |0|. Thus, by selectively arranging holes |3| in the end of rack |20 it is possible to attain a desired variability of initial speeds for various uses of the apparatus, as a whole.

Furthermore, a manual control of the speed of shaft 25 is sometimes of advantage and the present invention envisages this. As embodied, a manual control lever |34 is provided, pivoted on the same pivot |21 as lever 26. A quadrant |35 is attached to lever |34, as at |36. A part of quadrant |35 is adapted to contact a pin |31 mounted upon lever 26 as shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen that manual movements of lever |34 will cause movements forwardly of disc |00 on its shaft 91 to increase the speed of shaft 25 while in the same way, speed can be manually reduced by reversing the movement of lever |26. 1

In using the manual lever |34, the rack |20 will matic control, the rack |20 then running idly f over pawls ||8 and |24 under influence of cam thus giving complete manual control or automatic control, or both of these, of the speed of rotation of shaft 25 and plate P carried thereby.

If desired, a limiting guard may be provided for use with extra automatic or manual control. As embodied, a curved guard |38 is attached to portions of frame |8, as shown, the end of lever |26 passing thereunder. At each end of the guard stop members |39 are provided thus limiting the overall swing of lever |26 around pivot 21, the limits being predetermined to suit desired conditions of working. Variabliity of lower limits may be provided comprising a plurality of holes |4| in said guard into which a pin |40 is placed, thus permitting a varied limit of lowest speed. In the same manner, upper limits can be predetermined and varied by holes |42 into which a pin can be placed to prevent speeds higher than that desired being reached. Obviously, the variable limits of guard |38 operate for either manual or automatic control, or both.

To constantly urge lever |26 forward and cause good contact between lever |26 and pin |32 a spring |43 is arranged between a `peg |44 on the forward end of rack |20 and a peg |45 on lever |26. This spring also serves to make good contact between the teeth of rack |20 and pawls ||8 and |24.

According to this invention, it is further provided to permit of disengaging the driving means from operative contact with shaft 25, for example, when it is desired to change a plate P, thereby rendering it unnecessary to stop motor 93. As embodied, a foot lever is arranged to disassociate driving wheel |00 from friction disc 0 this lever also serving to release the plate holding means and also return the rack and pawl mechanism to the starting position, for the next run.

In my before-mentioned co-pending application I have shown a foot operated lever 60 attached to arm 62 which is adapted to unclutch the plate P when lever 60 is depressed. In the instant invention, foot lever 60 carries out this function in the same manner, and is modified, to permit the additional functions hereinafter mentioned to be carried out.

As embodied, foot lever 60 has mounted on the end thereof a pedal |46 hinged to lever 60 at |41. A depending bracket |48 is attached to pedal |46 and carries at its lower end a link |49 pivoted at |50. Link |49 is pivoted to a lever bar |5| intermediate its length at |52. Lever bar 5| is pivoted at its extremities, at one end by pivot |53 to a depending lug |54 attached to frame |8, and at the other end by pivot |55 to an operating bar |56. Bar |56 is pivoted to a link |51 intermediate its ends at |58, the lower end of said bar being pivoted to frame I8 at |59. A link |60 of equal length to link 51 is also pivoted on the same member of frame I8 at |6|, and has a spring |62 attached at 63 to an intermediate part of the lever. The other end of spring |62 is attached to a post |64 on frame |8. The upper ends of links |51 and |60 are connected together by an operating bar |65, pivoted at |61 to link |51 and |66 to link |60.

The connection of links |51 and |60, with the bar |65, and their lower connections to frame I8 at |59 and |6| are such that at all times links |51 and |60 are parallel. Pressure downward on pedal |46 will cause link |49 to move bar |5| and lever |56 `to move links |51 and |60 to position shown in Fig. 5, while relaxing pressure on pedal |46 results in the link mechanism assuming the position shown in Fig. 4, where it will be noted bar is in a lower position relative to disc |0| thereabove. Spring |62 causes the position of Fig. 4 with pedal up, or out of contact with bar 60 to normally pertain, until the operative decides to depress pedal |46 against spring |62.

Lever bar |65 has a plurality of lifting lugs |66' thereon adapted to Contact the underside of disc |0| when in the position of Fig. 5 and thus lift said disc against its spring |05 out of contact with driving wheel |00, whereby motor 93 can be left running, if desired, while a new plate is placed in position for treatment. Depression of pedal |46 will disconnect at all times the driving means from shaft 25 giving the operative full control. Upon further foot pressure, lever bar 60 is depressed also to release the plate P as indicated hereinbefore.

It is also desired to be in a position to disconneot the pawls 8 and |24 from the teeth of rack 20 simultaneously with the depression of foot pedal |46 and to this end there is a release plate |68 having two portions |69 and |10 adapted to be placed into contact with extending pins |10 and |1| on pawls |24 and ||8 respectively, to

swing them varound their pivots against their .springs .and release them Yfrom contact with the 'teeth of rack 128, permitting :said 4rack :to V'move backwards under urge of its spring i113. Yuntil it is stopped by the rearmost part `of guard 138. `In Figures 4 and 5 the relative positions of plate -lB-B'iis shown and in contact in Fig-ure '5 with pi-ns fil-d 'and lli.

Plate i6@ is carried by lever bar G51-and is bodily moved thereby to Acontact the extending pins lon the two pawls when foot pedal M6 is depressed to vstop rotation o'f shaft VV25 and force the pawls out of operative engagement.

The method of operating the apparatus may be briefly as follows: 'The operator approaches the apparatus with a photoengraving plate in his han-ds, the plate 4havin-g previously been coated with coating Auid, if desired. 'The cover 15 being open and the machine at rest the operator depresses vpedal i136 and bar 6i) thereby spreading apart the clips 59, and simultaneously "bringing rack back to starting position. The plate P is then placed upon the .rack .28, being centered on the cross arm di 'by judgment Vof the operator. The pedal it and bar El) are then released. Under inuence of a suitable spring the notched clips 59 .move together, grip and centralize the lplate P on arm 40. The plate P is then ready to be whirled .and dried as soon as the cover 'i5 is drawn down over the shell lil. YA coating fluid may now be poured onto the center portion oi the upper tace of plate P, if the same has not been previously coated, and the cover lowered into place.

If time switch 9.0 is :to .be used, for automatic timing, the time setting control .52 is .set at the Apoint suitable to the -article ybeing processed, the starter button 9i is pressed and the plate P starts whirling, being brought gradually up to speed #by means 'of the friction drive arrangement of driving wheel .-i and disc mi, fand rack 26. As the motor starts whirling the plate P, excess fcoating liquid is dri-ven off centrifugally and the remainder even-ly distributed 4over the surface of the plate P.

The heating coils 8l having become radiant hot `during the initial whirling of the plate P the continued whirling time is consumed in drying the solution remaining on the plate.

The time switch :9B then lautomatically :opens the circuit, stopping the motor 313, allowing the Icoils f8.1 to cool off, and the plate to come vto rest. The cover T15 is then raised by the operator and pedal 6B depressed, releasing the plate P from clips 50 to permit its removal. As desired, the `adjustn'ients of pins 'iSZ and 'Mi in their respective guage holes will be made to limit the speed of the -driven shaft '25 and plate Pto suit the circumstances, these being made prior to whirl- :ing of the plate at a suitable lstage inthe procedure.

lt will 'be observed that electric motor 93,which is the embodied form of Vprime mover, is operated 'at 'a `constant speed, no variability of its speed vbeing-necessary or desired, whereby a more efcient system is provided, and economy of operation ensured.

AThe invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the speciiic mechanisms shown and 'described but departures may be made therefrom within the kscope oi the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its .chief advantages.

What I claim is: Y

l. A plate whirler .for photoengraving use including in combination a vrotatable plate support for ,evenly distributing a fluid coating on a plate, a heating element above :said plate, and means for rotating. said support and plate .in a predetermined automatic speed increase cycle, said means including va friction drive assembly adapted to produce a minutely variable speed increase Yand means actuated from said driving means `for ef- `fecting such increase with said last means.

2. In an apparatus for preparing photoeng-raving plates, the combination with a rotatable plate supporting means, radiant heating means above :said .supporting means and timing means 'autoymatically governing the length of time of rotation of said supporting means and of lthe lapplication of heat :from -said heaters, of driving means for rotating said supporting means from a prime mover including a friction driving wheel driven by said prime mover, a friction disc driven by said driving wheel and in turn rotating said supporting-means, and means actuated by said 'supporting means for automatically changing the relative positions of said friction driving wheel and driven disc to automatically vary the speed ratio between the prime mover and rotating supporting means.

3. A lplate whirler for photoengraving use including in combination a rotatable plate support for evenly distributing a fluid coating over-a plate held thereon, means for rotating `said support from a predetermined variable minimum speed progressively up to a predetermined maximum and means vfor changing said speed under control of said rotating means.

4. Apparatus for whirling a photoengraving plate including in combination a rotatable` plate support, a friction disc mounted to rotate sa'id support, a friction driving wheel driving Vsaid friction disc, a prime mover driving said driving wheel and means operated by rotation o Vsaid ,support to impart a continuous step-by-step advancement of said driving wheel relative to said disc, to increase the speed of rotation yof said support.

5. A plate whirler for photoengraving use includ-ing in combination a rotatable support ior a plate, a friction driven disc for rotating `said plate, a friction driving wheel 'for driving said disc when in contact therewith, avprime mover for driving lsaid friction driving wheel, automatic means operated by rotation of said support to cause .a cycle oi progressive increments of speed increase oi said support by moving said friction wheel vand disc relative to each other, and release means simultaneously acting to disconnect contact of said Afriction wheel and disc and render said 'automatic means inoperative, whereby 'rotati'onof said support is stopped and said automatic -means can be returned to a position 'for 'subsequent cyclic action.

6. A plate whirler for photoengrav'ing use in- `cluding in combination Va, rotatable plate support,

Va prime mover, 'friction drive vmechanism between said'eprfime mover and said support, said mechanism including a driven part and a driving part, means for moving said driving par-t relative to lsaid driven part to change the transmission ratio of said friction drive mechanism and a 4cam .and follower mechanism operated by the rotation of said support `to supply increments l of movements to said means.

7. A plate whirler for photoengraving use including in combination a rotatable `plate support, afriction driven disc attached thereto, I-a friction driving wheel adapted to drive said disc, a prime mover driving said friction driving wheel, a splined shaft upon which said friction driving wheel is free to slide relative to said disc, to vary the driving speed of said disc, an operating bar for moving said wheel, said bar having teeth at one end, a cam adapted to rotate with said support, a cam follower associated with said cam and having a pawl thereon adapted to cooperate with the teeth on said bar to cause it to move said wheel with increments of speed increase, and limit stops adapted to be placed in predetermined variable positions to set the upper and lower speeds of rotation of said disc.

8. A plate whirler for photoengraving use including in combination a rotatable plate support for evenly distributing a fluid coating on a plate, and means for rotating said support comprising a prime mover, a friction wheel driven by said to the plate support and in contact with said friction wheel to be driven thereby, means to radially slide said friction wheel with respect to said friction disc while still in contact one with the other, and means operated by said rotatable support when rotated by said friction disc to progressively move said friction wheel step-by-step radially relative to said friction disc, to cause increments of rotational speed increase of said friction disc and said support, progressively.

9. A plate Whirler for photoengraving use including in combination a rotatable support for a plate, a prime mover, a friction wheel driven by said prime mover, a friction disc driven by said Wheel and drivingly connected to said plate support, automatic means for advancing said wheel radially relative to said disc, to change their driving ratio, and alternative manually operated means for advancing said wheel radially relative to said disc.

FRANK T. POWERS. 

